This invention is directed to a method for performing a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft. More particularly, the method permits a thoracoscopic procedure without the need for extracorporeal circulation or other cardiopulmonary bypass.
A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) involves performing an anastomosis on a diseased coronary artery to reestablish blood flow to an ischemic portion of the heart muscle. Improved long-term survival has been demonstrated bypassing the left anterior descending artery (LAD) with a left internal mammary artery (LIMA). Loop, F. D., Lytle, B. W., Cosgrove, D. M., et al. "Influence of the Internal Mammary Artery on 10 Years Survival and Other Cardiac Events," N. Eng. J. Med., 1986; 314:1-6. This has encouraged surgeons to extend revascularization with arterial grafts to all coronary arteries. In multiple-vessel disease, other arteries have then to be used, such as: the right internal mammary artery (RIMA), the right gastroepiploic artery, the inferior epigastric artery and the radial artery. At the same time, other techniques are also being used: arterial sequential anastomosis and/or graft elongated and/or Y- or T-grafts. Calafiore, A. M., DiGianmarco, G., Luciani, N., et al. "Composite Arterial Conduits for a Wider Arterial Myocardial Revascularization." Ann Thorac. Surg., 1994:58:185-191 and Tector, A. J., Amundson, S., Schmahl, T. M., et al. "Total Revasculization With T-Grafts". Ann Thorac. Surg., 1994:57:33-39.
Traditionally, bypass graft procedures have required opening the chest wall via a sternotomy, stopping the heart and supporting the patient with a cardiopulmonary bypass system. These requirements are extremely invasive, pose significant risks, require lengthy hospitalization and are expensive. In hope of overcoming these and other problems, physicians have developed a number of alternatives such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), atherectomy, placement of stents and pharmacological treatments. The most common of these is PTCA which offers relatively short hospitalization periods and is relatively inexpensive. However, these benefits are mitigated by a significant restenosis rate. Similarly, the other alternatives suffer from their own drawbacks.
For these and other reasons, providing an anastomosis between an internal mammary artery and the LAD may be the best therapeutic option for severe proximal lesions. Benetti, F. J., Rizzardi, J. L., Naselli, G., et al., "Anastomosis Manerio Coronaria Sin Circulation Extracorporea," Prense Medica Argentina, 1985; 73:213. Accordingly, there is a need for improved CABG procedures that simplify surgical techniques and diminish hospital stays and costs.